The Man’s Library: Books by and About Men
There are hundreds of books that could be on this list- unfortunately, one list can’t have them all. This list is good reading for a woman, too.
Here are some books that are highly recommended. Feel free to add your favorites in the comments.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
This book is set during the Great Depression. The two main characters, George and Lenny, are homeless migrant workers who need to find a farm job. Lenny has mental challenges, but is sweet, engaging character. The story is about cruelty and dreams- it’s sentimental but it makes you think.
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The Call of the Wild by Jack London
Buck, a beloved St Bernard from California, is kidnapped and taken away to Alaska to become a sled dog. There he learns the law of tooth and fang and the rules of survival. It’s a classic adventure story, set in the chilly reaches of North America.
Moby Dick by Herman Melville
This great American classic is the essential sea-faring tale. From the unforgettable first line (”Call me Ishmael”) to the eventual confrontation between the mad one-legged sea captain, his terrified crewmen and the elusive whale, this book is a glimpse into a world gone by. Within it’s first few chapters, you realize something very important: this book is not really about The Whale.
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
Dickens is a master of English language, and David Copperfield was his masterpiece. He called it his favorite child. The characters are so engaging that you think of them as old friends.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Samuel Langhorne Clemens (a.k.a Mark Twain)
This classic American social protest is a biting critique of 19th century attitudes about race, class and the ability of a man (or boy) to make up his own mind.
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The Autobiography of Malcolm X- As told to Alex Haley
The most interesting thing about Malcolm X were the changes. From a troublesome child whose father was killed by the KKK to a dope dealing street hustler to a rabid black supremacist, Malcolm X is a distinctly American figure: someone who was always progressing into something new. After his bloody break with Elijah Muhammad, his pilgrimage to Mecca and denunciation of his racist beliefs, Malcolm died by the gun- and comes to life in this book.
The Collected Writings of Thomas Jefferson
There are always arguments about who this man really was. How did he feel about slavery?How did he live his life? Was he religious? Irreligious? What kind of religion did he embrace?
The truth is, we project our beliefs upon him. Whatever we believe is a virtue we try to find in Jefferson. He was only a man, but he was a brilliant man. People try to see themselves in him.
Walden by Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau, who also penned Civil Disobedience (the inspiration for Gandhi and Dr King), wrote Walden while he was living near Walden Pond in Massachusetts. He had a little house a tiny garden and for about a year, lived a self-sufficient life. This is his account of that year.
Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman
Walt Whitman was the original American poet- the literary grandfather of William Carlos Williams and Alan Ginsberg. His poems are free, rhythmic, rolling: they sound like incantations or prayers.
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
This is a thick novel about three brothers, Alyosha, Dmitri and Ivan, whose repulsive father turns up dead.
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Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Meet Raskolnikov, a bright young man with too many theories in his head. One of them is the theory of the “superman”- the idea that brilliant people should be allowed to do horrible things because they contribute so much to society. Of course, he begins to consider himself a superman- and it drives him to a terrible act that haunts him for the rest of the novel.
The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama
President Obama’s book lays out his political ideas.
Einstein by Walter Isaacson
Isaacson’s biography of Einstein is a fascinating look into the life of one of history’s most interesting figures.
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
Shakespeare’s plays are like Potato chips- you can’t read just one. Julius Caesar, Richard III, Macbeth- there are 38 plays in all and some editions contain his sonnets as well.
Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
This is a young adult’s book about a 13 year old boy who ends up lost in the Canadian wilderness after a plane crash.
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Okonkwo is an African tribesman whose narrow, rigid views of manhood lead to trouble.
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass’ story of enslavement and escape- and how learning to read freed him.
Roots by Alex Haley
The story begins with Kunta Kinte, a young Mandinka boy who is taken captive and shipped to America. The story of his daughter, her son and his children make up this American saga.
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Classic novel about the Joads, a family of migrant workers who are hit hard byt he Depression and go in search of work in California.
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Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
A zany, satirical story about the beuracracy of war.
The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger
The story of Holden Caulfield, a depressed, moody teenager who struggles to cope with the world.
The Pursuit of Happyness by Chris Gardner
The autobiography of millionaire broker Chris Gardner. The 2007 Will Smith film of the same title was loosely based on this book.
The Chosen by Chaim Potok
A novel about two Jewish boys in 1940s New York who deal with WWII, the Zionist movement and their own identity as Jews.
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A great informative article, Stephanie. You forgot ‘Playboy’! lol
Are we men really so transparent? Because you’ve listed virtually all of my favorite reads..and some I’ve yet to read. Very good article, Stephanie!
Ive read several classic titles from this list. I would like to read The Audacity of Hopes by Barack Obama to learn why he is such a darling for the Americans. Thank you for these suggestions, Ill definitely check them out.
I have read almost every one of these books.Everyone should read them especialy the young people of today. They are an education in themselves.
i’ve never read all of them yet but i watched the story of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in cartoons when i was a kid, i never know it’s from a book!